


Absolute Value

by PartridgeOnAPearTree



Series: Transversal [27]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Don't forget to read the previous parts first! :), M/M, Mastermind Naegi Makoto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:09:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8181049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PartridgeOnAPearTree/pseuds/PartridgeOnAPearTree
Summary: The current Super High School Level Hope was scouted by the school and given the aforementioned title for his excellent ability to be a soothing presence to other people.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hii! Sorry for the late update. I've been getting discouraged from writing recently ahaha but I'm trying my best to pick myself up :)
> 
> If you wanna check on Hinata, I decided to create things called "Project Hope Log". I'll be putting one every update! Here's the first one: http://partridgeonapeartree.tumblr.com/private/151212117152/tumblr_oee6xgKAFH1s8t9gp

“T-That’s a really terrible story.” Fukawa bites her lower lip as she speaks, fumbling with her fingers. “S-Stupid, brainless women like you shouldn’t be allowed near laptops or pens.”

 

“Aww, your scathing words just inspire me more, Fukawa-san!” Enoshima puts her hand on her chest and sighs almost exaggeratedly. “For my writing to be insulted by none other than the Super High School Level Literary Artist herself—gyahaha, such despair! It’s so despair-inducing I'm actually honored!”

 

“H-Heh… So you enjoy being insulted?” Fukawa starts smirking to herself, like she was sharing a private joke with no one else. “R-Right… What did I expect? F-From the looks of you, it’s so obvious that you're t-that kind of woman.”

 

“Gyahaha! Keep it coming, Fukawa-san! Don’t hold anything back!”

 

“…A-Actually, I should just make better use of my time instead of giving you what you want.” Fukawa is back to frowning. “Your story. Is it… l-like… based on a true story?”

 

“Oh? Did it seem that way?” Enoshima tilts her head, grinning. “I don’t know how to answer that!”

 

“W-What… It’s just a simple question that can be answered by yes or no… I-I can’t believe I'm talking to an idiot like you…”

 

“Well, see, it kinda is! But it also kinda is not!”

 

“R-Right… From what I can see, y-you're not dead, so…”

 

“Yep, yep!”

 

“B-But you made use of names of people you know in real life…” Fukawa bites her lower lip again. “T-That lanky white-haired boy that’s always with Naegi… his roommate… and Naegi himself. How much of your story is true?”

 

“Oh, my! I did that!?” Enoshima covers her face, as if embarrassed. “I can’t believe I let something like that slip up! I was about to change their names, but I guess I completely forgot! Such despair! I can’t even do something that simple!”

 

“R-Right… N-Not like I expected more from you…”

 

“Gyahaha! Here it comes again! Tell me more, Fukawa-san!”

 

“W-Whatever.” Fukawa crosses her arms. “D-Did you… ask for their permission? To use their names and write something based off of them?”

 

“Oh, oh! Do I really have to? Whatever happened to ‘academic freedom’!?”

 

“U-Uh… I think you're misunderstanding what academic freedom means… s-stupid.”

 

“Ehe, no matter! Details, details! Don’t sweat them!”

 

“H-Heh… I-I guess all the mass of your brain went directly to your chest.”

 

“Gyahaha! I like that! Oh, wait,” Enoshima grins, skipping quite excitedly towards Naegi who just arrived in the room. “Here comes the master of the world! Drum roll, please!”

 

“Enoshima-san, Fukawa-san, good morning.”

 

“Aww! Look at you, being so cute early in the morning! Hey, hey, did you receive my super sweet email last night?”

 

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that.” Naegi replies. “What was that about?”

 

“I was talking to Fukawa-san about it too just now! She said that my story was terrible! So, so hurtful words! As if she doesn’t know that I'm nothing but a fragile maiden!” Enoshima wipes the corners of her eyes even if there wasn’t really anything to wipe. “Naegi-kun, tell Fukawa-san to play nice!”

 

“W-What the… You were having so much fun being insulted earlier! W-What, you want Naegi to coddle you? A-Are you two secretly—”

 

“Um, haha, no way. Please don’t get wrong ideas, Fukawa-san.”

 

“Right! Naegi-kun is loyal to that white-haired boy whose hair is whiter than my grandpa’s! Like, I never even met my grandpa at all, but I can tell!”

 

“Yeah, so about that story, Enoshima-san—”

 

“Oh, oh! You want to talk about it too? I'm just starting out, but I know that writers want to do discussions of their creations a lot! It’s like how parents love to gloat about their children all day every day! Go on, Naegi-kun! Tell me your thoughts!”

 

“I-I can’t believe you just called yourself a w-writer… T-The nerve.”

 

“Well, I don’t know if I'm in the position to decide whether it’s good or bad. Personally, I believe that the words ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are subjective especially when it comes to artwork, you know?” Fukawa scoffs and mutters ‘artwork, he says’ under her breath. “I guess I'm more concerned about the fact that you used my name in it together with Nagito-kun’s and Hinata-kun’s. And who your intended audience is, maybe.”

 

“S-Stupid woman… I-I knew you'll have issues if you just use people’s names without telling them first.”

 

“Gyahaha! I can’t believe it! Even Naegi-kun is complaining now!”

 

“Don’t worry. I'm not as knowledgeable as Fukawa-san, so that’s my only complaint. Sorry, Enoshima-san, I know you probably worked hard on it, but I'm not comfortable being involved. Maybe you could try writing a story focusing on yourself instead.”

 

“R-Right… You can write about y-your… nightly adventures. I-I'm sure that that will sell among the stupid men who like w-well-endowed women like you.”

 

“Aww! Is this what rejection feels? Will this be what I would feel if I pass my story to a publisher and gets turned down? It’s so despair-inducing!” Despite her words, Enoshima laughs. “Say, say, Naegi-kun, if I change the names, would you be okay with it, then?”

 

“I still think it would be best if you write a story focusing on yourself instead.”

 

“Y-Yeah… All throughout the story, you're doing nothing but insulting t-that white-haired boy’s roommate… You even implied that he got a lobotomy and… went on a killing spree. Not only that, you even said that he's from something called the R-Reserve Course and has no talent. Y-You also revealed to practically anyone who’d read it that h-he likes that white-haired boy.” Fukawa grumbles. “A-Anyway, my point is… he won’t appreciate your s-slanderous work.”

 

“That’s right.” Naegi nods. “And you even threatened to harm Nagito-kun in your work. That’s not good, you know? I won’t let you do that either.”

 

“Oh, oh, that reminds me! I should have asked right away!” Enoshima snaps her fingers. “When did you shift to his first name? Are you guys even more disgustingly hopeful now?”

 

“Haha, Enoshima-san, stop being so bitter.”

 

“Well, whatever! Geez, people are so hard to please these days!” Enoshima knowingly smiles. “But that’s why I try hard! So that you guys will be proud of me! Heehee, do you guys feel moved? It’s so flattering that I said that, right!? I'm a true romantic!”

 

“T-That’s not romantic at all.” Fukawa clicks her tongue. “A-Anyway, you used too many bold fonts too. I-It’s unique, but I’d recommend against it… I-It makes reading your already p-painful-to-the-eyes writing even more painful to the eyes.”

 

“Gyahaha! Fukawa-san isn’t done yet! My work is too flawed for her to run out of things to say right away!”

 

“After this, I’d like to talk to Enoshima-san.” Naegi shows Fukawa a small smile, as if to ask permission. “I’ll just be waiting for the two of you to be done.”

 

“Yep, yep!” Enoshima waves at him. “I’ll be joining you quickly, cutiepatootie!”

 

“S-So I was saying… y-your use of heart icons is annoying, you have no sense of coherence, you have issues with conciseness—”

 

\--

 

“Fukawa-san really doesn’t hold back!” Enoshima fakes a sobbing sound, partnering it with the gesture of clutching her chest. “My pride ended up being trashed singlehandedly by her! Unbelievable!”

 

“I'm sure you can get back up.” Naegi smiles. “I mean, you're full of hope. You can do it.”

 

Enoshima’s expression instantly turns serious, a hint of disgust observable on her face upon closer observation. “You must be really pissed off to say that.”

 

“Am I now?” Naegi tilts his head, maintaining his smile. “Maybe I am. Tell me, Enoshima-san. What was that piece of writing for?”

 

“An expression of art, an act of boredom, an exploration of something new, yada yada. What do you want to hear?”

 

“I may be wrong, but I can say that it’s designed to get a reaction from me.” Naegi’s smile disappears, but he still keeps careful note not to frown. “I'm the one that you're threatening all along, aren’t I?”

 

“Aww, come on, that’s a really mean accusation! I can’t believe you'd think that I'm capable of doing something like that!” Enoshima reaches out to pinch Naegi’s cheeks, but he steps aside. “What, you're scared that someone might see it and know what you’ve been up to?”

 

“I guess not.” Naegi forces a chuckle. “I mean, your story is fictional, after all. It’s like someone with a hyperactive imagination made it. It’s just really so farfetched.”

 

“Right! I mean, it’s totally, totally impossible that someone who looks as angelic as you turns out to be quite the opposite, right?” She tilts her head, grinning. “No way! Maybe someone else, but not the Super High School Level Hope! Never ever!”

 

“But you don’t deny it, do you? You wanted me to react. Actually, you even worded it out explicitly. You wanted to rile me up.” Naegi smiles. “Too bad then if that’s what you want. I mean, I'm really fond of you, Enoshima-san. There's no way that you'll ever anger me.”

 

“Oh?” She returns his smile. “If your cute Nagito-kun hears that, he might get jealous.”

 

“We’re not doing anything that will warrant his jealousy, are we, Enoshima-san?”

 

“I don’t know. It sounds so much like you're sweet-talking me.” She takes a step closer, and her voice comes down to a whisper. “Especially if such an angry person like you tells someone that he’d never ever get mad at that said someone… which in this case is the cute, cute me... Did my romance story get to you?”

 

“Well, the thing is I'm _not_ an angry person. I'm quite calm, you know? Just ask anyone who knows me.” He lets out a chuckle. “So no, I'm not sweet-talking you nor am I being romantic.”

 

“Aww, I can’t believe I got my _hopes_ up! I got rejected twice today! Such despair!”

 

“So you know, talking to Hinata-kun without having to won’t anger me, Enoshima-san. You're a free person. You can do whatever you want.”

 

“Really now?” Enoshima raises her eyebrows. “Even if I tell you that I told him a super duper important detail that can bring you down?”

 

“That’s going to be really upsetting considering that I trust you so much.” Naegi could just throw up. “But it’s okay. It’s not like there's still anything he can do with that information anyway.”

 

“Gyahahaha! I like the way you think!”

 

“Speaking of this, did Matsuda-kun mention when we can meet _him_?”

 

“Nothing is finalized. Don’t get too eager, Naegi-kun. You might lose sleep over this if you think too much and then you won’t be cute anymore!” Enoshima reaches out to pinch his cheek again, and he lets her this time. “You have to look your best since we’re going to be befriending someone special, after all! So for now, just relax and hang out with Komaeda-kun, maybe!”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Excitement and impatience battle within him, and he wonders which sensation would emerge dominant. “Well, then. Update me.”

 

\--

 

“I talked to Hinata-kun’s mother today.” Komaeda says when they get together that day during lunch time. Naegi wonders how much Hinata’s parents know about this whole deal. Considering that Hope’s Peak did something like lobotomy, Naegi won’t be too surprised if they did it without letting Hinata’s parents know the unadulterated truth. “I didn’t want to bother our class adviser again… so I hoped that the dorm manager would have contact numbers of the residents’ parents. It’s good that there was.”

 

“How was it?” Naegi furrows his eyebrows to seem worried. “Is Hinata-kun with them?”

 

“Yeah, she said so… but I wasn’t able to talk with him. She said that Hinata-kun is out doing something.”

 

That doesn’t sound quite right. Now Naegi really is curious about the awareness of Hinata’s parents regarding this. “That’s a shame, but now, at least we’re sure that Hinata-kun is really safe. I think that part is relieving, at least.”

 

“You're right… Haha, I mean, I still do want to talk to him. I want to understand why he had to go away without even telling me… or anyone, for that matter. I'm not trying to imply that he should tell me about all the details going on in his life—not at all—but I just… want to talk to him one last time.” Komaeda forces another chuckle. “But you're right, Naegi-kun. I should be happy that he's really surely safe now.”

 

“You shouldn’t lose hope.” Naegi smiles. “Hinata-kun’s mother will contact you as soon as he's available, right?”

 

“Yeah… I did ask her to do that if it’s okay. I just want to know exactly what happened if Hinata-kun wouldn’t mind. I mean, I just really can’t bring myself to believe that he did something to deserve expulsion. I refuse to accept it.”

 

“I understand. I find it difficult to believe too.”

 

“I’ll inform you when I get in touch with him.” Komaeda finally smiles, though the remnants of his worry were still visible on his face. “I'm sure you must be really worried too… You and Hinata-kun have become close friends, and I'm really happy about that. I think I already said this before, but it’s just true… haha, sorry for being repetitive.”

 

“It’s okay. You're right.” Naegi chuckles. “I really am worried about him.”

 

\--

 

“How much do Hinata-kun’s parents know about what's going on?” Naegi asks Enoshima during their class after that. She was sitting beside him again despite that place still not being her proper seat, causing Naegi to keep a close eye on Ishimaru who undoubtedly will chastise them again later.

 

“Aww, what, is the master of the world showing concern for the circumstances of the lower beings? Oh, oh, will you be the type of leader who sometimes descends his throne and walks around to mingle with peasants?”

 

“Why not? I’ll be nice to anyone who's doing what I want.” He chuckles. “But anyway, it’s not that. I'm just curious. Does Enoshima-san know?”

 

“Do you want me to send a photo of the waiver that Hinata-kun and his parents signed?”

 

“Just show it to me in your own device. I’ll read it from there if you don’t mind.”

 

“Very cautious! I expect nothing less from you!”

 

“What do you mean? I'm just trying to preserve my phone’s memory.” Naegi laughs. “The only photos I have in my phone are photos of me and Nagito-kun, after all. It’d be nice to keep it that way.”

 

Enoshima makes a face. “Really now.”

 

Naegi laughs again.

 

\--

 

Hope’s Peak Academy, founded by Kamukura Izuru, has always strived to make use of mankind’s talents to pursue hope. All of the academy’s objectives and goals will all boil to the same thing: hope and its cultivation. Years of research aim to learn more about talent and its various kinds for we hold the belief that talent is the key to hope, and at the present, after seventy-eight years from Hope’s Peak Academy’s foundation, we are finally ready to pour all our efforts and learning to create our contribution in attaining a future filled with hope and success.

 

The Hope Cultivation Project, or Project Hope, for short, (another term is Project Kamukura Izuru, named after our founder) is the ultimate result of all our hard work. We aim to create a genius out of the ordinary (the subject is to be named after our founder as well, thus, the alternate name of the project)—a genius with the ability to learn all talents with efficiency—for humanity’s salvation.

 

Following our assertion that talent breeds hope, we believe that the existence of Kamukura Izuru will ensure hope for our country, and possibly, the whole world.

 

-

 

The ones involved:

 

HINATA HAJIME, the chosen student from the Reserve Course Department,

 

HINATA TAKASHI, parent of the student,

 

HINATA RIE, parent of the student,

 

MATSUDA YASUKE, the Super High School Level Neurologist,

 

KIRIGIRI JIN, the current headmaster of Hope’s Peak Academy,

 

THE RESEARCHERS of Hope’s Peak Academy (listed below).

 

-

 

This agreement serves to make known that all the persons whose names were indicated swear to keep any information regarding this project classified. Failure to comply will lead to various consequences.

 

-

 

As stated above, the project’s goal is to create a genius who has the ability to learn all talents with efficiency. The student will then be called the ‘Super High School Level Hope’. As of now, no final decisions have been reached regarding the issue of whether or not the student will be allowed to mix with the other main course students. Further observation of the process is required.

 

-

 

The Super High School Level Hope:

 

If the project turns out to be successful and ends up exhibiting ideal results, the student will be allowed to join the main course as the Super High School Level Hope. However, as of now, there already exists NAEGI MAKOTO, of Class 78, a student with the same title.

 

The current Super High School Level Hope was scouted by the school and given the aforementioned title for his excellent ability to be a soothing presence to other people. He also has the exceptional talent of understanding the worries of his peers. While the occurrence of two students possessing the same talent existing is not unheard of, we find it necessary to replace the current Super High School Level Hope and have him leave the academy if by chance he pales in comparison to the new Super High School Level Hope. In this situation, observation of the student named NAEGI MAKOTO is demanded.

 

\--

 

“There, there. Keep a smile on your face.” Enoshima rests her cheek on her palm, watching him closely. “You look so scary right now, you know. Like you want to throw my phone away or something. Let’s not do that to my phone now, alright?”

 

Naegi realizes that he's shaking.

 

He doesn’t think that he has ever been in a situation like this before. His palms were cold, and he repeatedly squeezes the edges of his desk just so his shaking won’t be too evident. He's doing his best to keep his breathing in check too because if he doesn’t, he knows that his agitation will be visible to everyone.

 

He wants to break something.

 

“You knew all along, didn’t you?” Naegi whispers because he doesn’t think he’d be able to keep himself from yelling if not. He wants to break Enoshima’s pretty face and erase that mocking smile on the way. He wonders how satisfying it would be to listen to the sound of her falling from a window somewhere too.

 

“You're so handsome right now, you know.” She actually has a hint of red on her cheeks as she says that. Naegi feels disgust crawl all over him. “I won’t mind looking at you forever if you look like this.”

 

“If you like me that much, then maybe you should just confess to me already. I can give you the despair of being rejected.”

 

“Aww, I'm happy that you're thinking of my happiness, Naegi-kun, but that'd be boring because I already knew for sure that you'll reject me. This situation, however,” She lets out a squeal. “It’s so, so beautiful to witness! So despairingly beautiful that I'm actually super duper wet right now!”

 

“Go back to your seat, maybe, Enoshima-san.” Naegi says as calmly as he can. He knows he’ll just be doing what Enoshima wants if he fully expresses his anger. “I did say that I’ll never get mad at you because I like you, but right now, I can say that I'm really disappointed in you.”

 

“You're disappointed in me?” Enoshima repeats, her eyes widening in excitement. “Ah, ah, I never heard that before! Tell me more, please!”

 

“Ishimaru-kun!” Ishimaru immediately turns around upon hearing Naegi’s voice. He furrows his eyebrows when he sees Enoshima not on her proper seat, and she grins, flashing him a peace sign. “Haha, sorry to call you so suddenly, but Enoshima-san is bothering me again!”

 

“Aww, Naegi-kun, you bummer!” Enoshima groans loudly, but she lowers her voice after that. “It’s easier if you just let go, you know.”

 

“I know.” Naegi replies. “But I won’t.”

 

\--

 

“If I weren’t the Super High School Level Hope, would you have stayed with me?” Naegi asks as he rests on Komaeda’s lap, the latter’s fingers threading through his hair. Normally, their positions would be reversed, but Naegi really just wants to lie down right now.

 

“Well, I…” Komaeda’s hands stop moving. “...I think so? It’s true that your being the Super High School Level Hope might be the biggest reason why I admired you so much right from the start… It’s the reason why I became interested in you… but it’s not the reason why I stayed.”

 

“Why did you stay then?”

 

“Makoto-kun is… so optimistic, so positive, so hopeful.”

 

“So in the end, it really is hope, after all?” Naegi smiles. “I feel bad now… Do you really love me for me, Nagito-kun?”

 

“I do love you! I'm sorry… I didn’t mean to make you feel that way… It’s just that… hope is a part of you. Even if you're not the Super High School Level Hope, you still will manage to be hopeful. That’s something that I know… I'm really sorry.”

 

“A version of myself who isn’t hopeful isn’t me… is what you are trying to say, right?”

 

“Yes… I think, whatever happens, you'll manage to radiate hope that shines so brightly. Because that’s just how you really are.”

 

“What if you meet someone who has greater hope than me? Will you leave me behind then?”

 

“Makoto-kun, you're the personification of hope. I mean, I'm sure there's a reason why Hope’s Peak chose you as the Super High School Level Hope, you know… and I can also see what they must have seen in you. You care for everyone around you no matter what kind of person they are—I mean, you even extended your courtesy to someone like me!—and your kindness gives hope to anyone who receives it. Even me… even if I’ve always thought that I'm useless, you managed to make me think that maybe, somehow, I can amount to something too if I just keep going…” Komaeda’s starting to look worried. “I can’t possibly visualize anyone having greater hope than you….”

 

“But just suppose there is someone.” Naegi sits up and looks at Komaeda. “You really will leave me, won’t you?”

 

“…I really do love you, Makoto-kun.”

 

“But you'll leave.” It isn’t even a question anymore. This day seems to exist just to piss off Naegi. “You're the person that I trust the most. I can’t believe that you too will betray me had our situation been a little different. What happened to dying for me and doing your best to help me reach whatever dream that I have?”

 

“Makoto-kun, listen—”

 

“ _I hope we never fall apart_...” Naegi chuckles. “I believe you said that in one of your strips of papers for the Day of Hope. I suppose that is only applicable to situations convenient to you then. No matter, it’s okay. I’ll just excuse myself for now.”

 

“W-Wait,” Komaeda immediately reaches for his hand. This must be the tightest hold that Komaeda has given him already so far. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You have to let me explain—”

 

“You don’t have to. It’s okay.”

 

Naegi shakes off Komaeda’s hand from his and immediately leaves.

 

\--

 

‘ _I'm sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I'm so sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I love you_ ’

 

‘ _Makoto-kun_ ’

 

‘ _Please reply_ ’

 

‘ _Please answer me_ ’

 

‘ _I'm sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I’ve always had hope as my priority, so I immediately thought for a while that I really would choose someone with greater hope over you. I really thought I would choose to work with someone else who would bring hope greater than yours because that’s how hope works. Clashing hopes will bring forth a much stronger hope, and my goal has always been to see that and aid its birth. I knew this is how I’d make my choices regarding anything, but I realized that I’ve never really been in a situation where I’d have to take into account a person that I love. I decided that if ever it does happen that a person with stronger hope comes, then, because I love you, things will go differently from what I usually think._ ’

 

‘ _If it happens that I’d have to be forced to take sides, it would feel horribly wrong for me if I choose to abandon you. So if there's someone with stronger hope than you, then I’d do my best to lend you my abilities so that your hope will ultimately win in the end. Even if it kills me. Even if my abilities aren’t much._ ’

 

‘ _I'm sorry_ ’

 

‘ _Please talk to me_ ’

 

‘ _I don’t think the power of hope works in a fixed manner. If there's someone with stronger hope than you, you can still do something about it. You can still make your hope go stronger than it initially is as long as you don’t give up. I mean, that’s what hope is about, right?_ ’

 

‘ _I’d still die for you, I'm so sorry_ ’

 

‘ _Makoto-kun_ ’

 

‘ _I’d do anything for you, I'm sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I still hope we’d never fall apart_ ’

 

‘ _I don’t want us to fall apart, I'm sorry, I feel so stupid for thinking even just for a second that I’ll be okay with not choosing you_ ’

 

‘ _Our conversation keeps on playing in my head and I can’t think of anything else_ ’

 

‘ _I'm so pathetic, I'm so sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I love you_ ’

 

‘ _I’d do anything, please just talk to me_ ’

 

‘ _I won’t leave you_ ’

 

‘ _I'm sorry, I promise I won’t leave you_ ’

 

‘ _I rather break myself than break your trust, I'm sorry_ ’

 

‘ _I’ll always be here for you_ ’

 

‘ _I’d do anything_ ’

 

‘ _I’d still choose you_ ’

 

“Naegi-kun, is that your phone?” Maizono curiously tilts her head. “Is someone calling you?”

 

“I think so?” Naegi lightly scratches his cheek. “I shouldn’t use my phone during class hours though… I thought I should just ignore it, but I didn’t know that it can be this noisy if it’s endlessly vibrating. I guess I should just turn it off.”

 

“Are you sure? It can be an emergency.”

 

“Mmm, I'm sure it’s nothing important.”

 

\--

 

“He's outside. What did you do to him? His eyes are extra beautiful today.” Enoshima skips to Naegi’s seat as he fixes his things, ready to leave the room. “Don’t look so surprised now. I'm talking about the cute Komaeda-kun, of course. So what did you do? Did you direct your hostility towards someone else you're usually alone with because you didn’t want to do it to me in a public place?”

 

“Ah? I don’t know what you're talking about, Enoshima-san.” Naegi smiles. “I didn’t do anything.”

 

“Really, really? Mhm, I don’t think I believe you!”

 

“Whatever you say, Enoshima-san. I’ll just go see him now. I think he wants to talk to me.”

 

Komaeda really was outside just as Enoshima said. His eyes seem to not know what emotion to carry when he sees Naegi—hope or despair, the two look like they're fighting each other to see which would reign supreme—and it results to a terrifying mix of both.

 

Naegi doesn’t think he has already seen Komaeda like this. How interesting.

 

“…Ah, haha, you're finally here. I was trying to reach you, but I guess you didn’t want to do anything with me. I understand, I never really deserved to be with you in the first place—you’ve already wasted enough time with me, and I still feel bad that you had to endure the presence of someone like me, even going as far as to suffer through being in this relationship, so I wouldn’t want to keep you for longer than necessary. I just hope that you'll be able to find it in yourself to give me a chance and listen to what I have to say first before deciding to end everything altogether—not that I believe that someone like me will be able to change the mind of someone like you, of course not, I'm not good enough to do something like that, but I'm here to—”

 

Naegi thought it’d be fun to watch what Komaeda would do since he's being extra entertaining at the moment, and he can’t believe how quickly he became uninterested as Komaeda continued talking. Komaeda’s frantic eyes were the highlight of this since they're a new sight, but Naegi knows that he won’t look too good if he just zones out and stares at Komaeda’s eyes without even listening. So he decides to just reach out and hold Komaeda’s hand, and Komaeda’s mouth immediately closes, his eyes widening.

 

“I'm sorry.” Naegi runs his thumb on the back of Komaeda’s hand just like the latter did earlier to him. “I didn’t mean to ignore your messages. I admit that I turned my phone off to try to get away from you because I was really hurt, but I hadn’t really thought you'd try to contact me and that what happened would occupy your mind so much. I'm really sorry.”

 

“Hahaha, I…” Komaeda’s eyebrows were furrowed, and confusion was all over his face as he reluctantly returns Naegi’s hold on his hand. The fight in which hope and despair were competing earlier starts to reach its deciding point with hope starting to become more visible once again. “I don’t understand.”

 

“I don’t hate you. I wasn’t even mad.” Naegi gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “I was just hurt, but that’s it.”

 

“I hurt you…”

 

“It’s okay. You said you were sorry, and I believe that you are. I'm sorry too for worrying you so much.” Naegi smiles and promptly brings Komaeda’s hand to his lips. “And it’s my fault for forcing you to decide on a weird choice in the first place. I'm sorry.”

 

“No, you're not at fault…” Komaeda slowly shakes his head, as if he's having a hard time digesting everything. “You don’t hate me?”

 

Naegi shakes his head too. “I don’t.”

 

“A-Ah, then I… I must have overreacted. I'm really sorry.” Komaeda tightly holds his hand. “I mean, I texted you nonstop! It must have been so annoying when you opened your phone again, and all of the messages went in at once!”

 

“It’s okay. You were worried, and that’s my fault.” Naegi decides to frown. “I'm sorry too. I guess I was just scared to think that there was a chance you'll leave my side. I couldn’t bear the thought of not being with you. I love you too much… and I need you too much.”

 

“Very sweet!” The moment Naegi hears Enoshima’s voice, he decides to walk away from there with Komaeda as soon as he can.

 

\--

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** Hey! So rude! I know you were trying to get away from me! But anyway, you're still not yet done reading everything! You didn’t even get to the waiver itself! I can’t believe you let something like ~feelings~ distract you :-)

**Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** If only you continued reading, you would have known that saying that he’d “get talents after one surgery” isn’t, well, the complete truth. Not like I care! I really love that kind of statements, you know! Some people make really cute faces when they find out they’ve been tricked even if you didn’t really technically lie!

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** Ah, wait, that’s called lying by omission, right? Your favorite too, I assume? :-)

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** ‘Just one operation. But lots and lots of preparations.’ Turns out those preparations are operations as well! But those operations won’t really give him that talent that they're trying to give him right away, so they don’t consider those as ~an operation~ but instead, just a preparation. Tricky stuff!

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** If you want news, you're in luck! Heehee, looks like keeping that ‘good luck charm’ around is finally paying off, huh? ;-)

Matsuda-kun told me that he underwent some ‘preparations’ already. Too bad the person that we’re waiting for still isn’t ready though! I'm so excited to make friends!

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** Hey, hey, when do you think will it be? Do you think it’s soon? :-)

 

 **Sender:** Enoshima Junko

 **Message:** Because personally, I think it is.

 

\--

 

 


End file.
